Wednesday, December 20, 2006

Trashy government takes a holiday. Visions of sugar plums dance too.

I've posted policy advice about these situations in the past. It surfaces again. They don't have the best solution. I think I have a better approach.

City Council puts brakes on traffic camera proposal Mr. Peduto asked Public Works Director Guy Costa to change the trash collection schedule for part of Squirrel Hill. It is currently set for Fridays, but holidays push it to Saturdays, creating problems for strict Jews who cannot take out garbage during the Jewish Sabbath.Mr. Costa said he will consider switching two East End collection routes.

Clearly, a problem exists. Something should be do so as to fix this situation. Those on grant street don't want to offend those in Sqirrel Hill.

Furthermore, when something is done, a postcard with Luke's photo can be sent to everyone's address. So, I look for four or five versions of the trash pick-up schedule, each with its own postcard and magnet for the the refrig.

Holidays present a problem for government. Government never sleeps. Police, firefighters and water should never take off. Same too for road treatments with snow and ice. Travel needs are always present. People need to park and expect traffic lights to work, even on holidays.

I don't think government should take any holidays.

Trash build-up doesn't take a holiday. Often, our biggest days of trash is on a holiday, because of the holiday.

The trash collection is just as important as the other duties of government.

I hate that the recreation center was closed on election day, because it was called a 'holiday.' That's not logical. On the 4th of July, I want to go to the swim pool. I don't want them to take a holiday.

On the day of Bob O'Connor's funeral, Mayor Ravenstahl, at the last possible moment, called for a city holidy. That was wrong, in my book. Senior centers had to close that day. Lunch was not provided. Socialization didn't occur. The seniors could have gathered at the senior centers to reflect on Bob's life, on their interactions with him, and spend time in community -- a vital role of life and a mission of government.

On the 4th of July, we want to watch fireworks. We want the parks to be open.

My trash day is on Thursday. I don't want to have it on Friday after a Monday holiday because more than half of the residents, myself included, can't remember the holiday schedule and tons of trash show up on the streets for days when a holiday schedule is used. The extra trash on the streets stinks -- literally. The mess gets spread.

To redd up -- we've got to have regular trash pick ups. We need to count on it and have a mission critical schedule that never changes.

I think we should take one holiday -- the 4th of July. And on that day, everyone with a government job should work a double shift because the citizens and voters want to have their services working.

So, the fix for the trash pick-ups for Squirrel Hill is simple. I'd want to tell the residents that trash gets picked up on a certain day of the week, every week of the year.

The workers should have vaction days, sick days, subs, temp workers and what ever else is needed to do the job. But the job needs to be done. This is what management does -- manage the work force as best as possible.